Editor in Chief: Moh. Reza Huwaida
Thursday, March 21st, 2019

Lessons for the New Year

December 31, 2018

We are going to enter new year tomorrow, but before we make this entry, we need to prepare ourselves for it. First, we need to have the learning and lessons that we have acquired in the ongoing year and must try to use them for the next years so that we are able to amend ourselves and make development and progress. Because only those nations can really prosper in their life that have the tendency to learn from their past mistakes and make improvements accordingly.
During the time that has passed, we have less profit than loss; however, the new year that we are going to enter may give us great opportunity to make up for all the loss and for that we have great expectations. The greatest opportunity in this year would be that we would be given a chance of deciding our own destiny to a certain extent and this opportunity has been achieved after a lot of hard work and sacrifices. At the same time, this year would be a year wherein we would be tested to a large extent.
We should expect that there would be many things happening in this year and whether these happenings would be in our favor or would turn out to be against us depends on ourselves largely. Now, we ourselves have to be the accountable and the judge.
We are now on a road to a democratic country and we need to pursue the same track. The nourishment of democracy this year would require us to be really vigilant. We would require amending our conscience and our inner selves. The departure or distance from democracy would only spoil us to a further extend. Now that we have decided to welcome it with open arms we require changing ourselves.
The behavior of democracy is largely based on the art of speaking and the patience to listen adequately. Democracy supports the freedom of expression and allows everyone to say what he wants to say. In democracy we basically accept the sort of environment wherein we can be opposed openly. Those people who support democracy fundamentally want that the issues should be solved through dialogue and reasoning not through violence. They want that the opposite reasons should be listened to sufficiently and the claims should always be reconsidered.
Within democracy, first of all we need to develop the preparedness to accept that the truth may not be with us and it may be with others. Democracy is never suitable for those who believe that their views are absolute and final and they do not have the patience to listen others.
The absolute truth has never been known by the people. Yes, certain aspects of a complete truth have been known and people have to compromise with the same. These aspects are present within different circles. Within the circle of politics the aspect of truth lies within a system which considers the welfare of the people as its basic pillar. And, democracy strives to establish the sort of circumstances that are suitable to guarantee welfare of the people.
Though we have had considerable strides towards democracy, yet there are many behavioral issues that we need to deal with. We have dishonesty in our intentions and extremism in our actions. The difference in opinion and thoughts are dealt through intolerance and even violence. Our statements have taken the shape of threats. Some people have even started the attitude of calling others with different opinions as non-Muslims and infidels.
The true spirit of democracy can only be found in the theories and promises; therefore, the people do not see the true practice of it and are ambiguous about it. This is really unfortunate that at this instance of hope and great expectations we are suffering from these problems; yet, we do not have to be disheartened.
If we really like democracy and democratic values, we would require making its prerequisites possible. We would need to feel our responsibility in order to lead our country towards true democracy; otherwise, the dream of democracy may shatter and we will not be able to recreate it. Though the roles of government and the people play a very important role in it, most of the responsibilities go to those leaders and religious scholars who have great influence in forming the opinion and the attitude of the people. They need to understand that instead of sowing the seeds of hatred and intolerance in the minds and hearts of the people, they can spread love and tolerance and they can really participate in forming an environment that is suitable for democracy. The strongest of the democracies nourish in an environment embellished with lively debate and acceptability for diversity, an environment that can tolerate people of every background and belief and that can set aside minor differences for the purpose of achieving greater good.